Light-regulating device for film-printing machines.



G. WHITE.

LIGHT REGULATING DEVICE FOR FILM PRINTING MACHINES.

Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.19M.

' G. WHITE.

LIGHT REGULATING DEVICE FOR FILM PRINTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6.1914.

1,154,820. PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. WHITE.

LIGHT REGULATING DEVICE FOR FILM PRINTING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED mm: a. 1914.

1,154,820. PatentedSept. 28, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH coumusmNfiToN. n. c4

6. WHITE- LIGHT REGULATING DEVICE FOR FILM PRNTING MACHINES! APPLICATION HLED JUNE 6.1914.

1,154,820. PatentedSept. 28, 1915,

4 5HEETSSHEEI 4,

.Illll e 4 8 wugvwoz c AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA c4 UNITED STATES P NT OFFICE.

e-Eonen" WHITE, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

LIGHT-REGULATING DEVICE FOR FIL1VI-PRINTING MACHINES.

T all whom. it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, GEORGE WHITE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at' Jersey City, county of Hudson, and State ofNew Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Light-Regulating Device for F ilm-Printing Machines, of

. thereby correspondingly varying the intensity of" the light emanating from said lamp. a

The device is more particularly designed for automatically changingthe light necessary for properly" printing consecutive scenes ofmovmg picture films.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1.

is a face view of alight-regulating device embodying my. invention, with the casing open; Fig. 2 an enlarged cross section on line 22,- Fig.1 with the casing closed; Fig. 3 a rear view of-the devicewith the asbestos closure removed; Fig. 4 a plan of the light regulating card; Fig. a cross section on line 55, Fig. 2; Fig. .6 a detailof thecase lock; Fig. .7 a face view of the dial; Fig. 8

a plan of a light testing card, and Fig. 9 a

wiring diagram.

My improved light-regulating devlce' comprises essentiallya plurality of spaced concentric metal rings or conductors 10 partly embedded within corresponding concentric grooves formed in a disk 11 of insulating-v material.

ing A to which is hinged at 14 the movable part or cover 15, the part 13 being provided with lugs 16 by means of which it maybe 7 through the circular web 19 of the casing.

From this web the post is insulated by.

means of' a bushing 20 of non-conductive material while the rear face of web 19 is covered with an asbestos disk21. Resistances 1.7 are preferably made in the form of a continuous wire spiral which isat certain intervalsclamped to posts 18 by screws 22 as clearly illustrated in Figs. '3 and 9.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 6,1914. Serial No. 843,585.

This disk is firmly. niounted within a recess 12 of the stationary part- 13 -of-a preferably cylindrical cas- Patented Sept. 28, 1915.

Casing l3r is provided at its back with an asbestos disk 21, as shown in Fig. 2.

Into a suitable central opening of a web 23 of cover 15 is fitted a circular disk 24 carrying a. number of radially extending resilient conductive strips 25 which are ar- I ranged in a circle and are mounted on an insulating ring 26 carried by disk 24. To

the perforated outerend of each strip 25 is' clamped'a bolt 27 by a nut 28 said bolt extending. vtirough an insulated bushing 29 fitted into a corresponding bore of disk 24. ,Atits free end, bolt 27 carries a fork 30 bea tween which and bushing 29 there is interposed a spring 31. To fork 30 is pivoted, as

'at 32, a radially extendingcontact lever or bar 33 of a length to extend across all ofthe rings 10 at one side of their center.

The perforated inner end of each strip 25 is firmly held in position by a'bolt 34 extendingthrough an insulating bushing 35 of nut 44, the sleeve 42 being prevented from axial displacement by means of a fixed collar 45' and a screw 46 tapped into the free end of post 43. Sleeve 42- projects outward through cover 15 and carrieshere a knob 47 for manually rotating said sleeve.

vRing 38-is connected through wire 48 with a pin. or contact member 49 having a head 50 and slidablymounted inan insulating bushing '51 of web 23, a spring 52 tending to force head 50'rearwardly (Fig. 2). Inthe closed position of easing A, head 50 engages a fixed binding post 53 extending through'disk 11 and through an insulating bushing 54 of web 19. connectedthroughwire 55 with a tungsten lamp or other electric light source 56 adapted forfilm-printing purposes. Lamp 56 is v in turn connected through wire 57 witha main 58, while the outermost post 18 is connected through wire 59 with a'main 60, a bipolar switch 61 being interpolated inwires57', 59. I

The means'for making the necessaryelecdisk 24 and provided with a clamp nut 36 7 Post 53 is tric connections between rings 10 and contact bars 33 in order to complete the lamp circuit, consist of an exchangeable lightcontrolling disk or card (52 made of paper, card board or other insulating sheet material. Card 62 is provided with a num ber of metallic eyelets 63 each eyelet being adapted to form a metallic connection between a selected ring 10 and a selected bar 33. As is clearly illustrated in Fig. l, the card (52 is provided with a plurality of concentric circles (it that correspond in numher and diameter to the munber and diameter of the several rings 10, the drawings thus showing card (32 provided with twenty of such circles. Card (32 is further provided with a plurality of radially extending uniformly spaced lines the number of which equals that of contact bars 33. As the drawing shows twenty-five of such bars, the card (32 is thus also provided with twenty-five lines (55, the fields between consecutive lines (35 being numbered 1 to 25, each of such fields corresponding to one of scenes of a moving picture film.

i\ccording to the varying intensity of the light necessary for printing consecutive scenes, the eyelets (S3 occupy different positions in the several fields of card (52. Thus if for a certain scene say scene 2, the full intensity of the light is required, the eyelet (ii-3 will be placed on the outermost circle (il In this case, the current will flow from main 60 through wire 59 (switch 61 being closed). outermost post 18 eyelet 63 the contact bar engaging said eyelet, bolt 27, the corresponding strip 25, button 37, bridge 39.; ring 38, wire 18, pin 49, post 53, wire lamp 5?) and wire 57 to main 58. It will be seen that the circuit described does not incl de any of the resistances 17 whereby the full current is supplied to the lamp and the maximum, light effect is obtained. If the next scene requires less light for printii'ig say such an intensity as obtained by thrmving two of the resistances 17 in series with the lamp, the eyelet 63" is placed on line i i. In this case, the current flows from p t 18 through the two outermost resistances 17, 17 (Fig. 9) to ring 10" and through the eyelet (33 engaging said ring to the corresponding bar 0") which should now be connected to ring 38 by bridge 39 (the movement of said bridge being hereinafter more fully described). It will thus be seen that thecloser an eyelet is placed toward he center of the card the more resistance will be interpolated in the lamp circuit, thereby obtaining the desired graduation of the light for printing the scenes en'ibraced bv the negative.

In order to insure the proper position of card 62 relativelv to the scenes to be print ed, disk 11 is provided with a number ofoutwardly extending guide pins 66 adapted to engage correspondingly arranged perforations ('57 of card (32, the pins ()(5 belng placed at different distances from each other. In order to sti'l more safeguard against a wrong insertion of card (5:3, the latter is of a diameter to extend beyond binding post In axial alinement with the latter, card 62 is provided with. a perforation ($8 of a size to permit the passage of the head 50 of pin -it). In this way a contact can only be made between the pa rts 50, 53 when opening (38 occupies the proper position. while in case the card is forced on pins 66 in a wrong position, an imperforate portion of the card will be placed between the parts 50, 53 thereby preventing a closing of th lamp circuit.

Automatic means are provided for intermittentlv advancing arm l0 together with bridge 39 whenever a change of scene takes place. These means are actuated by the advancing negative (39 to be printed and are shown to consist of notches 70 provided in the edge of the negative at the dividing lines between consecutive scenes. This notch is adapted to be engaged by a spring-influenced trip lever 71 or an equivalent member which closes the circuit of an electromagnet B whenever it enters one of the notches 70. This electromagnet consists of two poles T2 the coils 73 of which may either be connected in parallel or in series so as to adapt the device to a current of 110 and 220 volts. Coils 73 are supported by a bracket T-l of web and influence a common armature 75 constituting part of a feed lever 76. The latter is pivoted as at 77 and is influenced by a spring 78 that tends to withdraw armature 75 from poles T2. Thetwo opposed points '79 of lever 76 are adapted to alternately engage the teeth 80 of a star or feed wheel 81 which is loosely mounted on sleeve IVhcel 81 carries a s[n'ing-pawl 82 engaging a ratchet wheel 83 that forms part of said sleeve.

In order to be able to ascertain the position of sleeve 42 and consequently that of arm -'!O, the sleeve carries a relatively fixed dial 84 which is provided with the numbers 1 to said numbers being consecutively exposed through a window 83. Each end of each coil 73 is, by a wire 86, permanently connected to a slip ring 87, which connections are preferably made by soldering the wires to said rings. The latter are fast on an insulating sleeve 88 which is in turn fast on the hinge bolt 89, the latter being secured to the lugs 90 of cover 15 by means of a transverse pin 91. It will thus be'seen that whenever cover 15 is opened there will be no relative movement between the coils 73, wires 86 and slip rings ST. The latter are engaged by contact springs which may be arranged in any suitable and convenient manner. In Fig. 9 the device is to the position shown in Fig. 5.

shown to be adapted to current of 220 volts in which case the two inner slip rings are connected with. each other by a conductor 93, while "one-of thegouter slip rings is connected, by. wire 94, to a contact 95 which is engagedby theitrip lever71 as soon as the latter engages a notch of negative. 69 The other outer slip ring.8l7," is, by wire96,

connected to main 58-, while lever 71 is con. nected to main 60'throughw1re 97, a- S1111]? able fuse 9,8 allCtblPOlafSWltCl1'9 9. being:

provided for the circuit described.

. It will be seen that whenevera notch 70 oi negative 69 passes by trip lever 71, the latter will be temporarily'tilted to close a circuit, the current, flowing; from main 60 through wire 97 (switch 99jbe'ing closed), lever 71, contact 95, wire 94, coils 73 ofelec' tromagnet B, and wire 96 to main 58. In this way, armature 75' together with. feed lever 76 will be attracted. Immediately after this; attraction, lever-71 will be returned to its original position owingto the continuedadvance of negative- 69, thereby breaking the previously established ,circuit and permitting spring 78 to return lever 7 6 by a spring103. The hook 10st ofcatch 102.

is adapted to engage a projection 105 extending outwardlyfrom casing 13. In order to properly centerthe cover 15 upon casing:13=, projection 105 is provided with a wedge-shaped nose 106 which engages two correspondinglytapering inner faces 107 of lugs 100 as.clearlyv illustrated in'Figs. 2 and 6. p p

Ifa certain negative is tobe printed, cover 15 isjopened and the light-controlling card 62 pertaining to this particular negative is properly placed upon .pins'66 whereupon cover .15. is closed and locked- In this way.

the several swiveled contact bars 33 will be brought into engagement with the corre-, sponding eyelets 63of card 62, each of which eyelets in turn engages a selected ring 10, the springs 31 insuring. a positive contact between the cooperating iparts. --Knob 47 isnow turned untilthe-number .1 of dial. 84.-

is exposedthrough window. 85, therebyindieating thatthe bridge 39 is in the proper po-.

sition to complete the circuit closed by the first eyelet, z'. e. by the eyelet pertaining to scene 1 of'card.62.. This adjustment of armj 40 independentoftheifeed mechanism 76, 80,

radial lines 165. I thus produced, but twenty fields are pro- The to and V is rendered possible bythe interpolated pawl and ratchet mechanism 82, 83' as will be readily understood. 1 Switches 61,99 are now closed, and the negative '69 is advanced by starting the printing mechanism proper, (not shown). At each: engagement between 1 a notch 70 and lever 71, electromagnet B becomes temporarily energized to advance bridge39 from one button, 37' to the succeeding button, thereby automatically causing the desired change of light-intensity at each change of; scene. r

The apparatusmayalso be employed for ascertaining the proper intensity of light necessary for the various scenes, the results of such tests serving as a; guide for properly eyeleting the previously blank cards 62. For this purpose a test:card 108 is provided that corresponds to card 62, it being also provided with twenty circles 164 and with twenty five Of the twenty-five fields vided with eyelets,fthe eyelet of field 11 being placed on the outermost circle 16 1 the next eyelet onthe second circle 16 1 etc.,-the eyes let of the'twentieth field being finally placed on the innermost circle 164 In this way, each field corresponds to'one oi the rings 10,

; field. 1 correspond-ing'to ring 10 field 2 to ring 10?, .field 20to ring 10 Thus ifthe operatorjfinds thatfora certain scene, the printing of. the fiiegative is correct, when number6is exposedthrough window 85, the eyelet 63 for this scene-should be placed on circle 64? of card 62. After the operatorhas thus ascertained the consecutive numbers for the consecutive scenes, the eyelets 63 are correspondingly punched into a blank card 62,

I which operation is preferably performedby an eyeleting machine, not shown and not forming part of the present lnvention.

It 18 obvlous that various changes may be made in the construction of the device, and

that the peculiar contact selecting,.etc., device may be applied to apparatus other than that above described without departing from r the spirit of my invention- I claim v l 1'. In a. device of-the character described,

' a plurality of spaced parallel conductors, 're-- sistances intermediate saidconductors, a plurality of. conductive bars extending across said conductors and'spaced therefrom, means located intermediate said conductors andbars for conductively connectinga selected:

conductor with a selected bar, and an electrio lamp interpolable between saidconductors and bars. g

2. In a device of the character described, aplurality of spaced parallel conductors, re-

sistances intermediate said conductors, a plurality of conductivebars extending across said conductors and spaced therefrom, a card located lntermediate said conductors and bars andhaving aplurality. of metallic eyelets, each eyelet being adapted to conductively connect a selected conductor with a selected bar, and an electric current consuming device interpolable between said conductors and bars.

In a device of the character described, a plurality of spaced parallel conductors, resistances intermediate said conductors, a plurality of conductive bars extending across said conductors and spaced therefrom, a card located intermediate said conductors and bars and having a plurality of metallic eyelets, each eyelet being adapted to conductively connect a selected conductor with a selected bar, a movable member adapted to be conductively connected to consecutive bars, and an electric lamp interpolable between said conductive rings and said movable member.

4;. In a device of the character described, a plurality of spaced concentric conductive rings, resistances between said rings, a plurality of conductive bars extending radially across said rings and spaced therefrom, a noirconductive card interposed between said rings and bars, a plurality of eyelets provided in said card, each eyelet being adapted to conductively connect a selected ring with a selected bar, a movable member adapted to be conductively connected to consecutive bars, and an electric lamp interpolable between said rings and said movable member.

In a device of the character described, a plurality of spaced concentric conductive rings, resistances between said rings, a plurality of conductive bars extending radially across said rings and spaced therefrom, an exchangeable non-conductive card interposed between said rings and bars, a plurality of ev'elcts in said card, each evelet being adapt ed to conductivelv connect a selected ring with a selected bar, contact buttons connected to said bars, an additional conductive ring, a bridge adapted to connect consecutive buttons to said additional ring, and a lamp interpolated between said first named rings and said additional ring.

(3. In a device of the character described, a plurality o'l. spaced concentric conductive rings, resistances between said rings, a plurality of conductive bars extending radially across said rings and spaced therefrom, an exrl'iangeable non-conductive cardinterposcd between said rings and bars, a plurality of eyelets in said card, eachevelet being adapted to conductivelv connect a selected ring with a selected bar, contact buttons connected to said bars, an additional conductive ring, a bridge adapted to connect consecutive buttons to said additional ring, filmcontrolled means for advancing said bridge, and a lamp interpolable between said firstnamed rings and said additional ring.

7. In a device of the character described, a plurality of spaced concentric conductive rings, resistances between said rings, a plurality of conductive bars extending radially across said rings and spaced therefrom, an exchangeable non-conductivecardinterposed between said rings and bars, a plurality of eyelets in said card, each eyelet being adapted to conductively connect a selected ring with a selected bar, contact buttons connected to said bars, an additional conductive ring, a bridge adapted to connect consecutive buttons to said additional ring, a filmcontrolled electromagnet, a spring-influenced feed lever actuated by said electromagnet, a feed wheel engaged by said lever, a rotary sleeve loosely supporting said wheel, means for transmitting movement from the wheel to Said sleeve, and an arm fast on the sleeve for supporting the bridge.

8. In a device of the character described, a plurality of spaced concentric conductive rings, resistances between said rings, a plurality of conductive bars extending radially across said rings and spaced therefrom, an exchangeable non-conductive card interposed between said rings and bars, a plurality of eyelets in said card, each eyelet being adapted to conductively connect a selected ring with a selected bar, contact buttons connected to said bars, an additional conductive ring, a bridge adapted to connect consecutive buttons to said additional ring, a filmcontrolled electromagnet, a spring-influenced feed lever actuated by said electromagnet, a feed wheel engaged by said lever, a rotary sleeve loosely supporting said wheel, means for transmitting movement from the wheel to said sleeve, an arm fast on the sleeve for supporting the bridge, a dial also fast on the sleeve, and a knob for manually rotating said sleeve.

9. In a device of the character described,

a casing composed of a stationary part and a movable part, a plurality of spaced concentric conductive rings supported by the stationary casing-part and insulated therefrom, resistances intermediate said rings, an exchangeable non-conductive card adapted to 'be placed upon said rings, metallic eyelets extending through said card and engaging selected rings, radially extending conductive bars carried by the movable casingpart and adapted to engage said eyelets, a movable member adapted to be conductively connected to consecutive bars, and an electric lamp interpolable between said member and the outermost ring.

' 10. In a device of the character described, a casing composed of a stationary part and a movable part, a plurality of spaced concentric conductive rings supported by the stationary casingpart and insulated there from, resistances intermediate said rings, an exchangeable non-conductive card having a perforation and adapted to be placed upon said rings, metallic eyelets extending through said card and engaging selected rings, radially extending conductive bars earned by the movable casing-part and adapted to engage said eyelets, amovable member adapted to be conductively connected to consecutive bars, an electric lamp in circuit With saidmember and the outermost ring, and means extending through the card-perforation for closing said circuit. i

11. In a device-of the character described, a plurality of spaced conductors, resistances intermediate said conductors, a plurality of conductive bars extending across said con ductors and spaced therefrom, an exchange able card located intermediate said conductors and bars and having a plurality ofconductive members extending through said card, each'of said members being adapted to conductively connect a selected conductor With a selected bar, and an electric current consuming device interpolable between said conductors and bars.

' GEORGE XVHITE.

WVitnesses ARTHUR E. ZUMPE, MADELINE HnzscH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. i 

